Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has said the state will go after university professors who are supposedly “pushing leftist ideologies.”
The Republican recently celebrated an article about a University of Texas professor who said he was dismissed from his administrative post over “ideological differences,” promising to continue the trend by targeting other educators in the state.
“Texas is targeting professors who are more focused on pushing leftist ideologies rather than preparing students to lead our nation,” Abbott wrote in a post online over the weekend. “We must end indoctrination and return to education fundamentals at all levels of education.”
Abbott’s comments come shortly after the University of Texas System, the largest public university system in the state, launched an audit into all of its courses for content related to transgender people and identity. Officials said that the review is being done “to ensure compliance and alignment with applicable law and state and federal guidance, and to make sure any courses that are taught on U.T. campuses are aligned with the direction and priorities of the Board of Regents.” The final results will be discussed at the Board of Regents meeting in November.
A professor at Texas A&M University went viral last month when a student in her literature class objected to her correct statement that there are more than two genders, resulting in her being fired and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the head of the English department being removed from their administrative positions. The professor, Melissa McCoul, is currently appealing and considering her legal options.
Texas does not ]have a law prohibiting educators from discussing race or LGBTQ+ identities in public universities, but it does have a “Don’t Say Gay” law for grades K-12 that not only bans mentioning sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms, but goes even further by completely outlawing LGBTQ+ student clubs.
S.B. 12 states that “a school district or open-enrollment charter school may not authorize or sponsor a student club based on sexual orientation or gender identity.” The law also bans all diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which it incorrectly defines as “differential treatment” based on race.
While Donald Trump has signed executive orders against DEI, and declaring that there are only two sexes and transgender people don’t exist against medical and scientific consensus, these orders are not law and have been partially blocked by a federal court.
Meanwhile, trans and nonbinary students in Texas are saying they have experienced increased intolerance and harassment as the state cracks down on instruction about gender, with individuals reporting new levels of personal mistreatment at the same time schools are cutting LGBTQ+ support programs.
This article originally appeared on Advocate: Texas will target professors ‘pushing leftist ideologies,’ Greg Abbott says
